In last week’s blog, we discussed the potential damage caused by too much sitting. For those who work office jobs and find sitting unavoidable, we wanted to follow up by discussing how to sit properly at your desk and minimize the damage caused by lengthy periods sitting.
To put it in simple terms, sitting is bad for us. It’s been directly linked to a whole host of medical problems, hurts our posture and leads to an overall poorer quality of life. While working out and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce these risks, it doesn’t completely eliminate the damage caused by sitting. The only way to do so is to adopt a pro-active approach to more healthy sitting.
Sitting Properly is an Art Form
As we like to explain in our Posture Workshops, sitting properly is an art form. Some people aren’t even capable of sitting in a "proper" healthy way. This is down to a weakness in the main supporting muscles that can be rectified through resistance training. For most others, we recommend the following checklist to ensure healthy sitting at a desk:
Tips for Sitting in a Healthier Way
- Align the top of your computer monitor with your eyes
- Consciously relax your shoulders and allow them to drop
- Your forearms should be parallel to the floor and resting on support
- Keep keyboard and mouse close so you aren’t reaching
- Keep your feet flat on the floor and don’t cross your legs
- Avoid slouching in your chair. Keep hips as close to the back of the chair as possible
- Keep your upper back straight and neck as back as comfort allows
- Avoid leaning to one side
Some alternatives to sitting on a conventional chair are also increasing in popularity. A standing desk is a much healthier option, while sitting on an exercise/stability ball can have great benefits. This type of sitting is only suitable for those who already possess good core strength.
Ready to Help
Whether you need help with injury, or are looking to put together a killer workout program, VanCity Physio is standing by to assist. To find out more, or book an appointment, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
